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manufactories are at work； but within the walls everybody seems
decently idle。
We have been； of course； abroad to visit the lions。 The tower in
the Grand Place is very fine； and the bricks of which it is built
do not yield a whit in color to the best stone。 The great building
round this tower is very like the pictures of the Ducal Palace at
Venice； and there is a long market area； with columns down the
middle； from which hung shreds of rather lean…looking meat； that
would do wonders under the hands of Cattermole or Haghe。 In the
tower there is a chime of bells that keep ringing perpetually。
They not only play tunes of themselves； and every quarter of an
hour； but an individual performs selections from popular operas on
them at certain periods of the morning； afternoon； and evening。 I
have heard to…day 〃Suoni la Tromba；〃 〃Son Vergin Vezzosa；〃 from the
〃Puritani；〃 and other airs； and very badly they were played too；
for such a great monster as a tower…bell cannot be expected to
imitate Madame Grisi or even Signor Lablache。 Other churches
indulge in the same amusement； so that one may come here and live
in melody all day or night； like the young woman in Moore's 〃Lalla
Rookh。〃
In the matter of art； the chief attractions of Bruges are the
pictures of Hemling； that are to be seen in the churches； the
hospital； and the picture…gallery of the place。 There are no more
pictures of Rubens to be seen； and； indeed； in the course of a
fortnight； one has had quite enough of the great man and his
magnificent； swaggering canvases。 What a difference is here with
simple Hemling and the extraordinary creations of his pencil！ The
hospital is particularly rich in them； and the legend there is that
the painter； who had served Charles the Bold in his war against the
Swiss； and his last battle and defeat； wandered back wounded and
penniless to Bruges； and here found cure and shelter。
This hospital is a noble and curious sight。 The great hall is
almost as it was in the twelfth century； it is spanned by Saxon
arches； and lighted by a multiplicity of Gothic windows of all
sizes； it is very lofty； clean； and perfectly well ventilated； a
screen runs across the middle of the room； to divide the male from
the female patients； and we were taken to examine each ward； where
the poor people seemed happier than possibly they would have been
in health and starvation without it。 Great yellow blankets were on
the iron beds； the linen was scrupulously clean； glittering pewter…
jugs and goblets stood by the side of each patient； and they were
provided with godly books （to judge from the binding）； in which
several were reading at leisure。 Honest old comfortable nuns； in
queer dresses of blue； black； white； and flannel； were bustling
through the room； attending to the wants of the sick。 I saw about
a dozen of these kind women's faces： one was youngall were
healthy and cheerful。 One came with bare blue arms and a great
pile of linen from an outhousesuch a grange as Cedric the Saxon
might have given to a guest for the night。 A couple were in a
laboratory； a tall； bright； clean room； 500 years old at least。
〃We saw you were not very religious；〃 said one of the old ladies；
with a red； wrinkled； good…humored face； 〃by your behavior
yesterday in chapel。〃 And yet we did not laugh and talk as we used
at college； but were profoundly affected by the scene that we saw
there。 It was a fete…day： a mass of Mozart was sung in the
eveningnot well sung； and yet so exquisitely tender and
melodious； that it brought tears into our eyes。 There were not
above twenty people in the church： all； save three or four； were
women in long black cloaks。 I took them for nuns at first。 They
were； however； the common people of the town； very poor indeed；
doubtless； for the priest's box that was brought round was not
added to by most of them； and their contributions were but two…cent
pieces；five of these go to a penny； but we know the value of
such； and can tell the exact worth of a poor woman's mite！ The
box…bearer did not seem at first willing to accept our donationwe
were strangers and heretics； however； I held out my hand； and he
came perforce as it were。 Indeed it had only a franc in it： but
que voulez…vous？ I had been drinking a bottle of Rhine wine that
day； and how was I to afford more？ The Rhine wine is dear in this
country； and costs four francs a bottle。
Well； the service proceeded。 Twenty poor women； two Englishmen；
four ragged beggars； cowering on the steps； and there was the
priest at the altar； in a great robe of gold and damask； two little
boys in white surplices serving him； holding his robe as he rose
and bowed； and the money…gatherer swinging his censer； and filling
the little chapel with smoke。 The music pealed with wonderful
sweetness； you could see the prim white heads of the nuns in their
gallery。 The evening light streamed down upon old statues of
saints and carved brown stalls； and lighted up the head of the
golden…haired Magdalen in a picture of the entombment of Christ。
Over the gallery； and； as it were； a kind protectress to the poor
below； stood the statue of the Virgin。
III。WATERLOO。
It is； my dear； the happy privilege of your sex in England to quit
the dinner…table after the wine…bottles have once or twice gone
round it； and you are thereby saved （though； to be sure； I can't
tell what the ladies do up stairs）you are saved two or three
hours' excessive dulness； which the men are obliged to go through。
I ask any gentleman who reads thisthe letters to my Juliana being
written with an eye to publicationto remember especially how many
times； how many hundred times； how many thousand times； in his
hearing； the battle of Waterloo has been discussed after dinner；
and to call to mind how cruelly he has been bored by the
discussion。 〃Ah； it was lucky for us that the Prussians came up！〃
says one little gentleman； looking particularly wise and ominous。
〃Hang the Prussians！〃 （or； perhaps； something stronger 〃the
Prussians！〃） says a stout old major on half…pay。 〃We beat the
French without them； sir； as beaten them we always have！ We were
thundering down the hill of Belle Alliance； sir； at the backs of
them； and the French were crying 'Sauve qui peut' long before the
Prussians ever touched them！〃 And so the battle opens； and for
many mortal hours； amid rounds of claret； rages over and over
again。
I thought to myself considering the above things； what a fine thing
it will be in after…days to say that I have been to Brussels and
never seen the field of Waterloo； indeed； that I am such a
philosopher as not to care a fig about the battlenay； to regret；
rather； that when Napoleon came back； the British Government had
not spared their men and left him alone。
But this pitch of philosophy was unattainable。 This morning； after
having seen the Park； the fashionable boulevard； the pictures； the
c